I always loved Montessori education for children with special needs because of its individualized, hands-on learning. Maria Montessori’s first work teaching children was actually with children who had developmental delays.
After working with intellectually disabled children, Maria Montessori said she taught a number of the children “to read and to write so well that I was able to present them at a public school for an examination together with normal children. And they passed the examination successfully” (The Montessori Method).
This laid the foundation for Montessori education. Montessori education is used today for many types of children, including children with special needs. A number of parents and sites offer activities and ideas related directly to Montessori education and special needs. Below are some blogs and other sites that offer Montessori-inspired special-needs information and activities.
I’m dividing the sites into categories according to special need, although I realize there are often overlapping areas. I’m just listing each blog under a primary area of Montessori-inspired posts and/or information.
General Montessori-Inspired Special Needs Support
“Montessori for Children with Disabilities and Neurodivergences” from American Montessori Society
“Children with Special Needs in the Montessori Classroom” (and a variety of special needs blog posts) From NAMC Montessori Teacher Training Blog
“Montessori and the Child with Special Needs” from Montessori for Everyone
“Is Montessori only for “gifted” children?” Video with Karen Wagner, Director of Cottage Montessori
Montessori-Inspired Down Syndrome Support
Montessori Writing Activity (Photo by Lisa Nolan
Montessori Cylinder Block (Photo by Lisa Nolan)
Montessori for the Earth by Lisa Nolan
Montessori-Inspired Color- and Fine-Motor Work (Photo from We Can Do All Things)
We Can Do All Things (blog)
Ups and Downs of O (blog)
Montessori-Inspired Sensory Processing Disorder Support
“Montessori Education: Sensory Processing Disorder Part 1 of 4” (links in post to parts 2-4) from NAMC Montessori Teacher Training Blog
Montessori-Inspired Autism Support
“Autism and Special Needs Children in the Montessori Classroom” from NAMC Montessori Teacher Training Blog
“An Interview with Michelle Lane of The Lane Montessori School for Autism” from Montessori for Everyone
Montessori-Inspired Creative Math (Photo from Barefoot in Suburbia)
Barefoot in Suburbia (blog) (photo from “Montessori Monday – Our Homeschool Classroom”)
Visual Stimuli in the Classroom (Photo from Every Star Is Different)
Every Star is Different (blog) about a Montessori homeschool family with four children who have a variety of special needs, including autism, ADHD, RAD, PTSD, and mood disorder. (Photo from “Visual Stimuli in the Classroom”)
Calming Sensory Bin for Kids (Photo from Little Bins for Little Hands)
(Photo from “Calming Sensory Bin for Kids” at Little Bins for Little Hands) That photo/article is no longer available, but they have a “Calming Lavender Sensory Bin.”
Montessori-Inspired Speech Therapy Support
Speech Therapy Tray (Photo from Raising Little Rhodies)
Raising Little Rhodies: “Montessori-ish” category (photo from “a little blue rice with your oral motor workout?”)
Montesori-Inspired ADHD Support
Montessori-Inspired Dyslexia Support
“Dealing with Dyslexia” from Montessori for Everyone
Update: Special Needs Resources for Parents and Teachers
Find some very helpful resources in my “Special Needs Resources for Parents and Teachers” post.
Special Needs Pinterest Board
I have a Special Needs Pinterest Board with special-needs support of all types.
If you have a blog with Montessori-inspired special-needs support or know of one I missed, please let me know!
Learn more about my eBook Montessori at Home or School: How to. Teach Grace and Courtesy!
If this is your first time visiting Living Montessori Now, welcome! If you haven’t already, please join us on our Living Montessori Now Facebook page where you’ll find a Free Printable of the Day and lots of inspiration and ideas for parenting and teaching! And please follow me on Instagram, Pinterest (lots of Montessori-, holiday-, and theme-related boards), and YouTube. While you’re here, please check out the Living Montessori Now shop.
And don’t forget one of the best ways to follow me by signing up for my weekly newsletter. You’ll receive some awesome freebies in the process!
I always have a greater affection toward kids with down syndrome because my nephew Luke – who I admire greatly for his optimism despite his condition – has always been struggling specially when playing with normal kids. Though he doesn’t show it much, I know deep inside he feels a little envy, but it still didn’t stop him from playing with them.
Thanks for the helpful links you’ve shared with us all.
Thank you so much Deb for including us in this round up! There are many more sensory posts to come from Every Star Is Different. For me, I’ve found understanding a child’s sensory needs is the key to helping them be successful. I can’t wait to get the chance to read all of these links (when the kiddos go to bed).
As a mother of two and a PhD student in Psychology, I often have to fight other parents’ wrong attitude towards ASD children, especially after Sandy Hooks tragedy. I often point out that some of the most famous people in history had Asperger’s syndrome. I recently read the article “On Correlation between Asperger Syndrome and Violence” that dispels many myths regarding Asperger children.
There have been many studies that show that Mother’s of children with Special Needs, have the same type of stress levels as a soldier in combat… Now, for me personally, I think I could never be compared to our soldier’s who are in harm’s way, every day.
@Duncan: Yes, you are right. It may be hard but your love for the kids with special needs will prevail and you’ll find a way to close a deal to one chosen school.
Find the right pre school is a a difficult choice for any parent but for those with children with special needs it is much harder. This page is a really useful resource thank you.
While I never attended Montessori schools, I was homeschooled, and it made a complete difference as someone suffering from Asperger’s Syndrome. Now I am in college and run http://www.mildaspergers.com . If it were not for the special care of my parents, I don’t know if I would have ever discovered my talent.
I’m so glad homeschooling worked well for you! My kids didn’t have Asperger’s Syndrome, but homeschooling was perfect for bringing out their unique talents, too. 🙂
Great blog post Deb! And thanks for the feature! I featured your blog/post (with a link-back) here: http://montessorispecialneeds.blogspot.com/2012/03/montessori-inspired-special-needs.html
You’re amazing!
Thanks for your very kind comment, Lisa! And thanks for linking to me in your post. I think you’re amazing, too! 🙂
WOW! What a fantastic list of resources, for so many different special needs! Great work, it must have taken quite awhile to compile this link list; what a valuable page!!! I will definitely bookmark this one! =)
Thanks so much, Melissa! I was excited to find so many helpful resources. 🙂
Thanks so much for this Deb! I can’t wait to dig into these resources. This is an area we struggle with in the atrium. I have four children with special needs in my group alone, and have actually hired an aide to help us week to week. As always you are such a great support! Many blessings to you this Lent.
Leslie
Thanks for your kind words, Leslie! I’m so glad this is helpful for you. I love what you do with your atrium and blog and am glad if I can help in any way. Many blessings to you, too! 🙂
Wow! Fantastic compilation!
I’ve a girl with eczema and actively promoting eczema through blog eczemablues.com, support group and even set up a fund in Singapore. This post gives me new ideas to raise awareness!
Thanks, MarcieMom! It’s wonderful that you’re doing so much to help individuals with eczema … good luck! 🙂
FANTASTIC POST Deb!!!!! I am going to have to come back and read through all these resources tomorrow (it’s bedtime here!) but this is just awesome!! Thanks for including my blog on your special needs pinterest board!
Thanks so much for your kind comment, Katie! I always appreciate the great freebies and other resources you share at your blog! 🙂
Thank you so much!
My pleasure, Lori! Thank you for all the wonderful resources you have at Montessori for Everyone! 🙂
Another great collection of resources! I didn’t realize Maria Montessori had worked with special needs children, but it makes sense now.
Thanks, Sylvia! It does make a lot of sense, doesn’t it?! 🙂
Thanks so much for including us, Deb! I would like to add one more link, about dyslexia: http://www.blog.montessoriforeveryone.com/dealing-with-dyslexia.html
Thanks!
My pleasure, Lori! And thanks so much for the link … I added it to my post! 🙂
Both my husband and I dealt with gifted programs in school. Due to that, we always knew we would homeschool in some shape or form. We didn’t want our own children to have to deal with a system ill equipped to meet their needs. While we have added many, many other reasons for our choice to unschool since then, that remains a main consideration.
Thanks for your comment, Mandy! Many schools are definitely unable to meet the needs of gifted children. We didn’t have access to a Montessori elementary school, and that was a consideration when we started homeschooling, too. I love individualized learning for all children but especially for gifted children.
What a great resource! Loved hearing more about the history of Montessori – thank you for putting this all together!
Thanks so much, Kelly! I love the history of Montessori education, and I’m glad the Carnival of Natural Parenting gave me the opportunity to explore the special needs resources available online. 🙂
That is so interesting — I had no idea Montessori started with special needs children. It makes perfect sense, though, and it’s great that it’s so adaptable to all children in their uniqueness. Thanks for sharing these resources!
Thanks, Lauren! I was always fascinated with the origins of Montessori education … first with intellectually disabled children left in asylums and then with children in a tenement house in Rome. I think it’s more meaningful that Montessori education didn’t start with children who had every privilege. 🙂
Incredible source of information – Thanks, Deb!
Sasha
Thanks for your kind comment, Sasha! I’ll plan to update the post as I find new resources, too. 🙂
Excellent resources, Deb – and I’d forgotten that about Montessori’s background! Thank you for compiling these links.
Thanks so much, Dionna! I had been wanting to write this post for awhile … how perfect that the Carnival of Natural Parenting is about special needs this month! 🙂